Minecraftdeveloper Mojang just revealed the game’s next big update. It’s called The Wild Update, and it is set to release in early 2022 after the second half of the Caves and Cliffs update in late 2021. Mojang says The Wild Update focuses on expanding the atmosphere inMinecraft,bringing with it the spooky new Deep Dark biome as well as major enhancements to swamps that make them more charming than ever.MinecraftSurvival players will surely enjoy the new overworld details and ancient cities they can explore, meanwhile fans of Creative will get a lot of great new blocks and mobs to decorate with.
In general, The Wild Update does something different from some pastMinecraftupdates. It doesn’t make many changes to establishedMinecraftsystems. Instead, it’s purely new content, offering fans more to enjoy in the game. Mojang should focus on this kind of expansion while developing futureMinecraftupdates. Historically, manyMinecraftupdates that focus on overhauling core systems of the game are met with mixed reception, with some fans lamentingwhat’s lost inMinecraft’s changes. The Wild Update, by contrast, builds upon what already exists in the game in a way that’s hard to dislike.
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Minecraft’s Wild Update Compared to Past Updates
LongtimeMinecraftfans don’t always like it when Mojang decides to make a major change to a core mechanic. For instance, a lot of fans disliked the combat and damage changes introduced in 2016’s Combat Update, which made players swing their weapons more slowly to deal maximum damage. Some multiplayerMinecraftservers still operate in a state prior to the Combat Update, or use plugins to revert combat to the spam-clicking combat of old. Similarly,the more recent Nether Update introduced Netheriteas an equipment tier above diamond. SomeMinecraftfans responded negatively to Netherite for trying to usurp diamond asMinecraft’s most valuable and iconic mineral.
The Nether Update and Combat Update took huge risks by drastically changingMinecraft’s traditions. However, The Wild Update doesn’t aim to replace or rework any ofMinecraft’s core systems. Instead, it simply adds more content to the game. The Deep Dark biome won’t wholly replace traditional caves, nor will the swamp’s new mangrove trees, frogs, and fireflies mean that older wood types or mobs are obsolete. Mojang is purelyadding new content toMinecraftin this update, offering players more options and activities rather than replacing or erasing existing activities.
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The Wild Update Should Guide Minecraft
It’d probably be for the best if futureMinecraftupdates focus on The Wild Update’s growth rather than the Combat Update’s focus on change. Making drastic changes toMinecrafttends to distress longtime fans who still associateMinecraftwith its earliest days; updates ought to appeal to everyone. By addingnew objectives for Survival playersand new blocks for Creative players to design with, there’s not much to dislike about The Wild Update.Minecraftwill never stop changing and growing so long as Mojang keeps working on the game, but building on what’s already there seems like the healthiest way to grow.
Inevitably, futureMinecraftupdates will make changes to the game’s mechanics, and that’s not a bad thing. Some past changes toMinecraftmechanics were great, like Village and Pillage’s total overhaul ofMinecraftvillagers' trading system. On the whole though, it’s probably best ifMinecraftfocuses on new features rather than reworking old features. The Wild Update proves there’s still a lot of new things thatMinecraftcould stand to add to each of its overworld biomes, for instance. With that in mind, Mojang should keep looking toMinecraft’s future rather than regularly messing with its past.
Minecraftis available now on Mobile, PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
